Why will the September international break last three weeks?

The first international break of the 2026-27 men’s football season will last a week longer than it usually does, with the traditional October break now scrapped.

In recent years, Fifa has used five primary international breaks during the season. They have all consisted of two-week gaps in the season calendar that take place in March, June, September, and November.

But instead, there will now be a three-week gap for international fixtures across late September and early October, where countries will play four international matches instead of two.

The change is being made for a number of reasons.

These include the 2026 World Cup final having the latest date for a summer World Cup since 1966, with the match having been played on 19 July.

Player welfare also featured in the discussions that took place with stakeholders and all Fifa’s confederations prior to approval.

Travel considerations are a factor in the change. The reduction in breaks will reduce the number of journeys where players from one continent have to travel to another for their international fixtures – such as African or South American players who play their domestic football in Europe and have to travel cross-continent to fulfil international fixtures.

There were some exceptions to the previous five-break schedule, such as when there was a major tournament like the World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations or European Championship.

The move to switch to an extended September break was approved by the Fifa Council in March 2023.

The removal of the October break also ensures there will be an extra week of domestic football in the calendar.